


How We Came To Be

by AndroGynus



Series: Strange Dreams and Stark Realities [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), IronStrange - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Relationship-Inclusive, Dad Stephen Strange, Emotional Hurt, F/M, First Kiss, Flashbacks and Memories, Fluff, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, May Contain (Movie) Spoilers, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Pining, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Rating May Change, Sacrifice, Sleeping Together, Slow Burn, Unconsciously Breaking Each Other's Heart, dad tony stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-06 17:55:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15200270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndroGynus/pseuds/AndroGynus
Summary: I'm really bad at summaries, titles and pretty much everything. But since I desperately want Tony and Stephen to have a chance at love despite their canon relationships, this is what happened...(Their biological children are a bonus, I think they would make great dads.)





	1. Tony Stark

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to think that in this particular verse, the MCU characters -- which I do not own in any way -- are several years younger (with Tony and Stephen possibly in their late twenties, thirty at most, during the war with Thanos).
> 
> And while this will more or less be about IronStrange, it will also be my introduction to some new characters, who I intend to work on in the future (together with more IronStrange, of course).
> 
> A special thank you to my friend, Zee, for encouraging me to bring this into fruition and for looking over my work. All remaining mistakes are entirely mine. Oh and, it's my first fic so, be kind... :P

Tony fidgets as he sits in the white-walled waiting room. He was supposed to be here earlier, but was stuck in the heavy traffic caused by the season’s shopping sales. It is late October and Halloween decorations are starting to pop up here and there.

He is glad to see that people are starting to ease back into celebrating holiday traditions. Last year’s Halloween was grimmer than the occasion itself, with it being just months after the defeat of Thanos. Sure, they were able to bring back the half of the universe that vanished from the snap. But the trauma that it caused wasn’t that easy to overcome. So Tony is really thankful that things are looking optimistic, recovery-wise.

“Mr. Stark,” a nurse calls out, bringing him back to his present situation. “She’s –” Tony bolts into the room before the nurse could even finish the sentence.

“Pepper?” he runs to Pepper’s bedside, his excitement overcoming his worries.

“Tony, she is beautiful,” Pepper is flushed as she looks lovingly at the bundle in her arms.

“Hello Morgan…” Tony gently kisses his daughter’s forehead.

Morgan struggles to open her eyes before closing them again. Tony glimpses a shade of green. He very carefully nudges the flannel on Morgan’s head and sees a thin layer or reddish blond hair. He looks back at Pepper and raises an eyebrow, “Well, look at that. She’s a spitting image of you!”

Pepper laughs, “What can I say? Looks like I’ve got the more dominant genes.”

“Okay, don’t get too ahead of yourself,” Tony quips, “She's only a few minutes old, that is yet to be seen.”

“Whatever you say,” Pepper answers lightheartedly, “I love her no matter what.”

“And I love you,” Tony reaches to kiss Pepper on the forehead, “and I’m sorry I was late,” a kiss on her nose, “and that I wasn’t here to hold your hand,” a kiss on the left cheek, “I’ll make sure General Ross pays for making me go to that damned meeting,” on the right, “and I will make it up to you, not just for this, but for – everything,” and he seals it with a kiss on the lips. 

“Tony, please don’t…” Pepper is tempted to say _'please don’t make promises you cannot keep'_ , but changes her mind. The moment is too perfect for such remarks. So she settles for, “don’t be too hard on yourself. I managed, didn’t I? And so did Morgan,” she looks at the already sleeping baby in her arms. “I can already see that she is going to be a fighter, so everything’s fine.”

That last part made Tony think. When the dust had settled down, both he and Pepper decided not to push through with the wedding, although they agreed to stay together. Pepper said something about carefully rethinking the situation. Tony somehow felt relieved at the decision. He hadn’t realized until that moment that marrying Pepper just became an added pressure to his already sky-high anxieties and issues. He’s working on those now. He already withdrew from actively fighting with the Avengers, though he remains as a consultant and will keep on working to improve their suits and whatnots. He is also trying to lessen his time at his workshop to spend more time with the people he cares about. The arrival of Morgan in their lives is only proof that he is progressing in some way. 

“Yes, everything’s fine… we’ll be fine,” Tony mutters, more to himself that to Pepper.

***

“Are you serious? You’re asking me if I’d want to be Morgan’s godfather. Of course Tones, I do. I’d be honored!” Rhodey exclaims. Tony grins at his friend’s enthusiasm.

They are currently lounging in the Stark mansion’s living room, glasses of whiskey in their hands. People have been coming and going for a few months now since Morgan’s birth. Rhodey is one of the regulars. Whenever he is on a break from missions, he makes sure to drop by and bring something for the little girl. Most of the Avengers, even those who aren’t officially listed, have visited at least once. Well most, because there is still one particular doctor wizard that hasn’t made a call, not that Tony is waiting for him to do so. He’s just… curious, he thinks.

Yes, curious is the word. It was curiosity that made Tony reach out to the sorcerer about a month after they defeated the purple menace to begin with. He had wondered what made Doctor Strange surrender the time stone in exchange for his life, and he had intended to pry the reason out of him. So he asked Stephen Strange to come to the victory party and was quite surprised when he and Wong actually showed up. He had been prepared to be turned down, knowing that the wizard was not really keen on associating with the Avengers. How stupid of him to assume, they hardly knew each other after all.

That victory party led to dinner invites over at the Stark mansion, sometimes with Wong tagging along, to lunch outs with Pepper, Christine or any of the other Avengers. There were also a few times when it was just the two of them, chatting over a cup of coffee or having scholarly debates over a bottle of wine. Before he knew it, they were slowly building a solid friendship, the kind where they could spend hours, just reveling in the comfort of each other’s presence, without the need for words. At this point, he no longer cared about the reason behind the time stone ‘sacrifice’. He was just happy that it led to this – unusual bond that they share – whatever this is.

It was also during those times that he would get the chance to silently study the Sorcerer Supreme. When not battling weird inter-dimensional beings, Stephen would dress casually, revealing more of his lean, toned body, which his sorcerer robes so annoyingly hides. The face is trickier, as he could not just openly stare at the man, unless Stephen was deep into explaining something and Tony would be so captivated with either his eyes – a different color every time, his cheekbones, or his pair of perfectly bow-shaped lips. One time, he got so engrossed he didn’t realize that Stephen had already stopped speaking. When he finally came to his senses, the doctor was giving him a small knowing smile, no; it was more like a smirk. Tony blamed the wine for the blush on his cheeks.

It went on for a few months and then Stephen suddenly stopped showing up, just after Christmas. Stephen had been unusually quiet during their Christmas Eve gathering, he recalled. Tony was thrilled to have been surrounded with cheers and laughter from his closest friends and almost family, but it didn’t keep him from sneaking a glance at the doctor every now and then. And each time, he would catch him deep in thought. He once caught Stephen staring at him after dinner, but when he smiled at him, Stephen’s expression remained blank, his eyes glassy, as if he was looking through him and not really at him. It made him feel that something was wrong or was about to go wrong. It gripped his heart.

He started driving by Bleecker Street just to take a hint whether it was occupied or not. He once saw Wong releasing a pigeon on the doorway and when he asked about Strange, Wong just said that he was not there, and then went back inside. A few months later, Pepper announced that they were expecting. Then Tony became busy overlooking Stark Industries as Pepper’s delivery month neared, and the thought of Stephen was shoved at the back of his mind, until now.

“Tones?” Rhodey calls him back from his reverie. “Are you alright?”

“Huh? Yeah, yeah I’m alright. I just remembered some –” Tony stammers.

“Tony!” Pepper calls from the kitchen. “Can you take Morgan for a while, please?”

Peter, who was reading a book on a nearby couch sat up, “I’ll get her!” closing his book with a snap. “Can I get her Mr. Stark? I’ll be very, very careful, I promise.” His eyes are filled with eagerness.

“Alright kid,” Tony gives in. “Just bring her here so we can both look after her, okay?”

“I will Mr. Stark!” Peter hurries to the kitchen. 

“That kid is something, you know,” Rhodey says

“Yeah, I know. Ever since Morgan was born, he spends almost all his free time here, hardly leaving Morgan’s side. His aunt is okay with it, as long as he doesn’t neglect his studies. The kid is smart; I know he’ll have no problem in that area. But sometimes I fear that he may be neglecting his friends.”

“Nah, he’s probably just excited to have a sort-of-sibling. He’s an only child, right?”

“He is… Hey, I’m not complaining. I’m actually thrilled that Morgan gets an instant sort-of-big-brother.”

Peter comes in at that moment, protectively carrying Morgan in his arms. He settles on the couch next to Tony and sits Morgan on his lap, facing him. He starts making funny faces, sending Morgan into a fit of laughter. Tony and Rhodey laugh along.


	2. Stephen Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen's side of the story...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suggest you grab a tissue, one will do.

Stephen fidgets as he sits in the dark-walled waiting area. He’s at least twenty minutes early, not for fear of getting caught in traffic. All he had to do was create a portal to the nearest secluded backstreet and walk a block; but a man has to be punctual and, especially for this occasion, he has to make a good impression.

He looks out the window and notes the buzz of activities. It has been a little over two years since Thanos’ defeat and it seems that most of the population has finally gotten over the devastation that the war brought. The heat of July is taking locals and tourists to the streets to watch whatever theatrical play or concert is being held at the parks. Some are content to enjoy lazy drinks and lengthy dinners in the numerous restaurants in the city. However, he is here for a different purpose.

“Stephen,” Christine softly calls as she enters the foyer of the restaurant. She is wearing a deep blue knee-length cocktail dress, which accentuates her curves in just the right places.

“Christine,” Stephen stands. “You’re so beautiful,” he can’t help but say, as he reaches for her hand and gives it a kiss. He holds on to it as he joins her.

“Thank you, you’re not so bad yourself,” she says as the wait staff leads them further inside.

They are directed to a table that is well away from the rest of the restaurant’s patrons for the night. An arrangement of fresh flowers, that is not present in the other tables, is decked at the center. Stephen politely pulls Christine’s chair for her and waits until she is settled comfortably, before going to his own seat. A server then approaches and shows Stephen a bottle of wine. He gives a nod before the server opens the bottle and fills their glasses.

“So tell me, what is this? Why the sudden _'let’s dress up and dine in a fancy restaurant'_? I thought you said you’re done with this,” says Christine as soon as the staff leaves. Her smile is disarming.

Stephen chuckles, “Say, why don’t we enjoy dinner first? I’m actually starving.”

They both laugh as their waiter arrives with the appetizer.

***

It all began a month after the Thanos incident. Tony Stark came knocking at the door of the Sanctum Sanctorum one morning, handing him an invitation to a victory party that he arranged for the Avengers. Stephen was busy rewriting an old Sanskrit literature at the time and so, after he answered with a curt _"I’ll try"_ , Tony just nodded and went back to his car.

Wong was standing by the staircase when he turned from the door, waiting for him to relate what the visit was about. So Stephen told him about the party, to which Wong responded with a _"Yeah, let’s go!"_ He simply couldn’t say _'no'_ to that. Besides, these are people he just fought with. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know them a bit more. He would also like to find some proof to what he had witnessed in those fourteen million futures. Because he swears, that Tony is strikingly contrary to the arrogant reputation that he bears.

It must be noted that after the downfall of Thanos, threats from other dimensions have greatly decreased, if not disappeared altogether. Sometimes, Stephen fears that a greater evil could be brewing, just quietly gathering forces, but he dismisses the thought. His involvement in the war also opened several doors, both to people who have taken a genuine interest in the mystic arts and to Stephen, himself. The rise in the number of students and apprentices meant more help and manpower for the temple and the sanctums, so his tasks have lessened considerably. His exposure also brought back several ties and connections from his years in the medical field. And while some were only interested in having connections with the Avengers, there were some who were sincerely willing to help him become reconnected to the said industry. So Stephen used his extra hours doing consults or overseeing operations, and still he would find plenty of time to spare.

The party went better than he expected. So much so, that when Tony casually mentioned that he should come over for dinner sometime, he immediately replied with a _"Sure, I’d love to"_. Soon, he was a regular guest at the Stark household together with the spider-boy, Peter, and on several instances, Col. James Rhodes. Sometimes Pepper would cook, or Happy. He had been talking about starting a food truck business that would sell Cuban sandwiches. Tony liked the idea and promised he’d wholeheartedly support Happy by providing him with a well-equipped truck. Sometimes they would all eat out. A few times, Stephen invited Christine, with whom he was trying to improve his relationship. She had been there for him when he was at his lowest and the almost-end-of-the-world made him realize that when his own end would finally come, he would not want any regrets.

But perhaps the best realization he’s had was Tony. Stephen found it refreshing to find someone who could keep up with him, when it came to smart retorts and snarky remarks. Tony is highly intelligent and knowledgeable in many subjects, but he is never imposing. He listens as much as he talks. He always makes sure that everyone in his radius is comfortable and having fun. They agree on a wide variety of ideas and on the several cases that they don’t, they would somehow always reach a compromise. So it wasn’t a surprise when, in just the first couple of months of spending time with Tony, Stephen came to hold the selfless man in high regard.

On days when Pepper was busy being CEO at Stark Industries, and Peter was at school, and Christine was at the hospital, and the rest of the team was doing one thing or another, Stephen would find himself alone with Tony, not that he minded. In fact, these were his favorite days, because on these days, he’s got Tony’s attention all to himself. On these days, Tony would be more relaxed since he didn’t have to play host and entertain several people at once. And Stephen loved seeing Tony with his guard down, when he didn’t have to wear his tinted glasses and Stephen could see his soft brown eyes. He had begun to wonder why Tony would always wear those glasses until he figured out, mostly from their more personal conversations, how vulnerable Tony had become. And unlike Stephen, who had mastered keeping his emotions to himself, Tony was very transparent. And so he hid behind the tinted glasses. After all, our eyes are the windows to our soul.

Stephen had been feeling something for the genius billionaire for a while now. At first he chucked it to the idea that it was just because they were strikingly similar in so many ways that he enjoyed Tony’s company above anyone else. He wouldn’t deny that he also found the man very attractive. They were pretty similar in that aspect too. But on one particular day, the first Christmas eve after the universe had been somewhat restored to a certain level of normalcy, Stephen was not prepared for a much deeper discovery.

Tony had insisted that he spend the evening at the Stark mansion. Wong was not so keen on celebrating such occasions and he volunteered to look after the sanctum and teach a couple of new students some basic spell theories. There were other guests present for the holiday dinner and they were all in the kitchen helping out in the preparations. Most of the Avengers were there, as were Peter and his Aunt May, Happy, and of course, Pepper.

Stephen remembered his first encounter with the famous Tony Stark. He was with Pepper then, well, until now. He even congratulated them on their upcoming wedding, which didn’t happen for some reason he did not dare to ask. As close as he and Tony were getting to be, he didn’t think it polite to pry into someone else’s personal life unless that person opens up about it himself. And so they never got around to talking about it. But from what he saw that evening, when Tony snuck up behind Pepper to steal a kiss while she was preparing the salad, he could tell that they were happy. Tony was happy. The two continued to whisper to each other, their foreheads touching, before they shared a deep kiss. Stephen had to look out the window to hide his hurt.

He kept to himself almost the entire evening, responding only when he was asked. It was a good thing that there were a lot of people that night, it was easier for him to simply blend in the background. As he sat in a corner, he thought that this – sentiment that he has developed for Tony must not go on. It wasn’t as if Tony would just up and leave Pepper for him. He wasn’t even sure if Tony swung this way. There were rumors, of course, of those promiscuous parties involving both men and women, and he had seen the man flirt with both genders, including himself. But he was way too deep in this to settle for just a fling or a one night stand. And even if, in the slightest chance that Tony would actually love him back, it would equate to the ruin of his relationship with Pepper. Stephen would not stand being the reason for that.

There was only one solution to this impending disaster. He could do it, it was just all in the mind. Better to extinguish the flame while he still could, and then stay away from it. He also remembered the one thing that the Ancient One had instilled in him, _'It’s not about you'_. He had already put the universe’s safety before his own once. It was about time he leveled up and put somebody’s happiness above his this time. And that somebody was Tony. He wanted so much for Tony to be happy, even if it was not with him. So he stood from his seat quietly and headed for the front door, but not before Tony saw and caught up with him.

“Stephen!” he called out. “Hey, you’re leaving?”

Stephen stopped and turned around to face him. “Uhm yeah, sorry yeah, I’m just –” he stammered.

“Is everything alright? Are you alright?” Tony’s voice was dripping with concern.

“Yeah, I’m just, I’m not feeling well,” he half lied.

“Oh. Oh, alright,” Tony looked intently into his eyes as if trying to read something there.

He held his gaze, willing the moment to last a little longer and at the same time trying very hard not to take Tony in his arms and kiss him right there and then, which made his eyes dart briefly at the shorter man’s lips, before going back to his beautiful brown eyes.

“Alright, go get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow okay?” Tony broke the tension.

Maybe he should just grab his chance now…

“Happy Christmas, Tony,” he held out his hand instead, which was shaking more than ever.

“Merry Christmas, Stephen,” Tony’s grip was strong, like he didn’t want to let go.

Stephen half-heartedly took his hand back, turned to the door and walked out hurriedly. He wanted to look back but couldn’t. Warm tears were already streaming down his face. _'There was no other way'_ , he sadly thought to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nod to Jon Favreau's "Chef" over there. In case you haven't seen the film, go watch it now. You're in for a surprise! ;-)


	3. Christine Palmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No IronStrange in this chapter but basically, this is what happens when you settle for the one who loves you because you simply cannot have the one you love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, because Christine Palmer would be my girlfriend in the MCU; and this is something I would do for her.

“—and I swear, I left the chart in the patient’s room. But when I arrived at the nurses’ station, it was there! So just how did it get there ahead of me?” Christine exclaims as she spoons her last bite of _tiramisu_. The restaurant is almost empty now, save for another couple sitting on the far end of the room.

“Perhaps there really is a ghost in that hospital,” Stephen says with a hearty laugh.

“Are you sure it’s not one of those cult members you run around with?” she asks jokingly.

“They wouldn’t dare. They mess with you, they mess with me. And they know that that’s never a good idea.” He says with a wink, and that makes her laugh.

***

Sometimes, Christine still cannot believe that she and Stephen are back together. She was terribly hurt by the way Stephen treated her after his accident. But having dealt with so many patients, she had come to understand their psychology and realized that while there were patients who’d be all too willing to accept help, there were also a lot who’d shut the world out. Stephen’s case was extremely hard and Christine knew there was a great chance that he’d fall on the latter. Looking back, she was just grateful that Stephen had found healing, even though it was in an entirely different manner.

It was the reason why it came easy for her to forgive and help him when he finally reached out to her after disappearing for some time to join his _‘cult’_ (she just loves teasing him about that). That, and because she still loved him. She loved him from the very beginning, she loved him then, and she loves him even more now. Christine takes in the man sitting in front of her. So much has changed since they first met. And although Stephen hasn’t lost his touch for sarcasm and witty comebacks, he has softened somewhat. There are crow’s feet beginning to form at the corner of his eyes, proof that he has been enjoying life a little bit more like he should.

When Stephen decided to dedicate his life to the mystic arts, Christine thought that she would never see him again. And she had been prepared for such fate, if it meant a new purpose for the man she loved. But just a few months after the war with the alien, Thanos, Christine was surprised to find Stephen in the hospital hall, not for another medical emergency but, to invite her out to lunch with his newfound friends. They started from there, catching up while rebuilding their friendship.

On Christmas of the same year, while she was getting ready to go to the hospital (holidays are as good as any other day for doctors like her) Stephen gave her a call. And after exchanging the usual Christmas greetings, Stephen turned serious. He had sounded pretty glum to begin with.

“Christine, I need to disappear again.”

“Disappear? What do you mean disappear?” she placed the pair of scrub suit she was holding on the bed and sat on the edge.

Stephen hesitated on the other end of the line, “Uhm, I need to get away. But don’t worry; I will only be in Kathmandu. I have requested the council to allow Wong to take over the New York sanctum, while I take on a different task in _Kamar-Taj_. I just don’t want you to think that I’m trying to drive you away again, so I’m telling you. And I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“Two favors, actually. The first is to not tell anybody where I am, in case… anybody asks.”

“So basically, you’re asking me to lie for you. You could have just told me you’d be gone and not tell me where you were going. That way, I’d just be telling them the truth.”

“Well, that brings me to my second favor.”

“Which is?”

“I’d like to keep in touch… with you. If you’d let me, that is. You ignored all my emails the last time and I need you –”

“Okay, Stephen.”

“Okay?” Stephen asked, sounding a bit taken aback that she didn't need much convincing. Truth was, she was kind of flattered that Stephen was trusting her with this.

“Yes, I won’t tell anyone where you are and I will keep in touch. Are you going to tell me why you’re doing this?”

“I uh, I think I haven’t really recovered yet from the snap.”

“Oh, and here I was thinking you were doing so well. You’ve been going out with your new Avenger friends, aside from me, and I think that's quite an improvement in your so-called social life," she teased a bit.

“Well, I tried,” he gave a laugh, which sounded as fake as her grandmother’s dentures. “So, I’ll see you around, alright?”

That last remark got her thinking but not for long, because a week after, just a few minutes before the new year, a portal, not unlike the one she saw at the hospital mop room years ago, opened in the living room of her apartment. Stephen stuck his head out from the other side, “Come Christine, I wanna show you something.”

Her shock must have gotten the best of her because she wasn’t able to do anything but follow Stephen as he took her hand and pulled her to the other side. They watched the fireworks by the lakeside in Pokhara that night as the clock struck twelve. It was followed by an afternoon coffee in Paris in February, a trip to Table Mountain in South Africa in March, and so on. It was peppered with emails in between. Stephen didn’t really bother with phone calls because of their time difference and Christine’s crazy schedule at the hospital. Most of their conversations were friendly, so Christine didn’t really think much of it. It was just nice to find out that she and Stephen could get along outside of med school and the hospital. Perhaps it was one of the reasons they didn’t work out before. They never really went on dates or out of town excursions. All of their activities together, even as a couple, just revolved around the medical industry.

July brought them to a seaside joint in Cozumel. They were leaning on the restaurant's balustrade, sipping on their pre-dinner cocktails. The wind was warm as they watched the sun slowly sink down the horizon.

"You know, I've been thinking," Stephen suddenly spoke.

"About what?" she said without taking her eyes off the sunset.

"About us."

That got her attention and she looked at Stephen.

"I think we should try again. I would like to try again. Will you give me another chance?"

Christine had learned from past experiences that Stephen couldn’t be forced into doing or saying something he didn't want to, so she never actually asked him again why he left New York seven months ago. She didn't mention the sadness she saw in his eyes on that New Year's Eve in Nepal either. But she had felt that Stephen had been heartbroken and she did all she could to help him get over it, never really caring who or what broke him. Stephen was a strong person; that she knew. And if he was able to get back up from losing everything he worked for in that car crash, she was sure he could also get back up from this. True enough, he was looking much better after only half a year. She must have been doing something right then, and she was ready to do more, to give more.

"Yes," a tear fell from her eye.

Stephen looked at her with a soft smile, tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, pulled her close and kissed that tear away. He moved tentatively, as if afraid that she would pull away, until he found her lips. It felt like the first time.

Everything just got better from there. As the months passed, there were more teasing, flirting and laughter between them. Stephen made sure he was free on her days off, so they could spend time together. And if their sexual encounters before were usually quick and almost methodical, these time around it was more slow and romantic. It was almost like making love. And they have been at it for a year now.

_Oh._

"Is that why we're here?" she hasn't realized she just said her thoughts out loud.

"What, the ghost?" Stephen asks, confusion on his face.

"No," she laughs. "I mean, it's been a year. Did you really plan on celebrating our anniversary in New York? We've been everywhere, but never New York. I know you've been avoiding it."

Stephen laughs. "Cat's out of the bag, I guess. Well, I just thought I'd get the feel of it before I return."

"You're returning to New York? For good?" she can't hide the excitement in her voice.

Stephen clears his throat. "Christine, my darling Christine, I know we've only been together for a year, intimately if I may say, because we've known each other much longer than that. You've seen me at my best and at my worst, and you stood by me through it all. They say love is not just a noun, but a verb. It's the little things you do. It's the commitment. And I want to prove to you my love and my commitment..." by this time, Stephen is already on his knees, one hand on hers and a small velvet box in the other. "Will you let me? Will you be my wife?"

She is torn between laughing and crying, and somehow manages to do both, to Stephen's amusement.

"Oh Stephen, you just know how I can never say _'no'_ to you, don't you?" The look in her eyes says it all but Christine knows he needs to hear the words. "Yes, of course yes."

Stephen carefully slips the ring on her finger, hands faltering but determined. She leans in to kiss him as he mouths a soft _'thank you'_. Their kiss lingers for a minute or two, before he reaches for his handkerchief and gently wipes the tears on Christine's face.

***

"So you think we'd be able to find a place in four months?" Stephen asks as they lazily stroll along a small park later that night, away from the crowd of the city center. It is late but they are both feeling overwhelmed so they decide to walk it off.

"That soon?"

"I actually want it to be sooner but I have work and classes to finish in Kamar-Taj. November is the soonest I can leave. We can plan the ceremony for December. I intend to make you Dr. Palmer-Strange before Christmas comes." Stephen stops to face her and wraps his arms around her waist, tugging her close.

"Is that right? I think you're just excited to use your magic to decorate our Christmas tree." she rests her hands on his shoulders, a finger curling around the hair on Stephen's nape.

"Well, that too," they throw their heads back laughing.

As their laughter dies, they start to sway slowly from side to side, dancing to the rustle of the leaves above them. Her head resting on Stephen's chest.

"I love you," he whispers and places a kiss on her temple.

She tilts her head up, "I love you too." And Stephen leans in as they share a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you for the support!


	4. Peter Parker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen returns to New York...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now, you must have noticed already how each chapter was in the PoV of the character after which it was titled. However, that will not always be the case, especially from this point onwards. The character will still be mentioned or featured in that chapter to some extent though.

Stephen takes a deep breath as he stands in front of the Stark mansion’s main door. It took him a week to gather enough courage to face Tony again after moving back to New York. Last night, while Christine was sleeping soundly in his arms, he decided that he was ready. After all, it has been almost two years. He's with Christine now and yes, he loves her. He has somehow learned to. And who could not? Christine is beautiful and smart; she is both sweet and tough in ways he cannot describe. And even if he sometimes falls back into his angry, brooding self, she never gives up on him. She knows when to prod at him and when to stay away until he calms back down. Perhaps Tony will always remain to be his dream, but Christine is the one who will anchor him to his reality. So, he goes and rings the bell. Seconds tick by like hours… until the door opens.

“Holy fuck —” Tony’s jaw drops as he beholds a nervous – but very real – Stephen Strange standing right on his doorstep.

“Good to see you too Tony,” he says jokingly to calm his nerves. “And I think you should cut out the swear words with the little lady around,” he points a finger at the barely one-year old baby Tony is carrying.

Tony is still staring at him, whiskey eyes wide. “Fu— sorry, come in. Come in, you bastard,” he opens the door wider to let Stephen in.

“What’s her name?” he asks as they walk to the spacious living room.

“Oh yeah, this is Morgan. Morgan, this is Strange.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Morgan” Stephen takes the baby’s tiny hand in a mock handshake. Morgan just looks at him indifferently.

Peter walks in at that moment. “Oh my God, Doctor Strange?!”

“Yes kid, apparently the idiot’s still alive,” Tony answers before he could.

“Wow, I mean, it’s so good to see you again, Sir. We really missed you around here. Mr. Stark would always –”

“Peter, could you look after Morgan while Strange and I… talk?” Tony cuts him off.

“Oh yes, of course Mr. Stark! Come here baby Mo, let’s go play.” Morgan giggles as she stretches her arms towards Peter.

Tony looks at Stephen, and nods towards the small garden connected to the living room.

***

Peter turns on the TV and settles himself with Morgan on the soft rug in the middle of the living room. The sliding glass door to the garden isn’t closed properly and Tony’s voice filters through.

“What the fuck, Stephen? What the hell was that? You just disappeared without warning. No note, no nothing. Are you really this inconsiderate? I knew you did the same to Christine before, but if I remember correctly, you at least emailed her. But this time around, nothing! I never liked checking my emails you know. But when you left, I did. Every single fucking day. Like clockwork. Until it got to a point when I no longer remember what I was checking for in the first place.” Tony stops to catch his breath.

Peter considers sliding the glass door shut, but his curiosity wins over. So, while he distracts Morgan by hanging her soft toys on the ceiling with his web, one spider ear is trained towards the garden. He doesn’t mean to eavesdrop but he also wants to know why Doctor Strange left and right now, the man just looks defeated.

“I’m sorry Tony, I had to get away for a while.”

“Why?”

“Uhm… I was… uh, soul-searching,” Stephen realizes he isn’t quite prepared for this confrontation.

“Fuck soul-searching! I’m not stupid Stephen. I’m not letting you off that easily.”

“I’m not lying, Tony. I had to… There are things that I needed to think through, things I needed to understand, about myself… by myself. I’m pretty sure you know what I’m talking about. We’ve both been through a lot. And every significant happening in our lives, good and bad, has made us more complicated than ever. God knows I didn’t want to leave, but I had to. I’m sorry I’m not making any sense right now. Perhaps one day I’ll be able to make you understand more. But I came here today hoping that I can still count on you as my friend,” his eyes are pleading.

Tony is still, the expression on his face unreadable. Peter holds his breath.

There was no question that Thanos’ failed attempt at balancing the universe changed them in ways you could not imagine. But maybe the plum monster succeeded in another way. For while it brought destruction and brokenness, the event also solidified existing friendships and forged new ones. The one of Mr. Stark and Doctor Strange was a perfect example. They hardly knew each other when they dove into outer space during the Infinity War. But after only a few hours, they were already fighting side by side and saving each other like they have been doing it all their lives. If Peter could brag, he’d say that their small team of three was the coolest during that war.

The two got even closer after it ended. The wizard would regularly come over, and the way that Mr. Stark’s face would light up whenever he was around didn’t escape Peter’s Spidey-Senses. Sometimes he would catch one of them sneaking glances when the other was not looking. In his mind, he had been calling them ‘Dad’ and ‘Doctor Dad’, but that was as far as it got. He was aware that Mr. Stark was with Miss Potts and Doctor Strange would sometimes bring his lady friend, Christine, although Peter was not so sure if they were romantically involved or not.

Then Doctor Strange stopped coming and Mr. Stark gradually fell back into his old ways, spending days in his workshop without food or sleep. He and Miss Potts began to argue more and more. One time, he decided to swing by the mansion to bring Mr. Stark a sandwich, and he walked in on the two of them having a full-blown argument, complete with screaming and door slamming. He instinctively went to Morgan’s room to check on her. She was thankfully sound asleep, but Peter stayed and kept her company until the fighting subsided. He was surprised to learn after a few months that Miss Potts was pregnant again. Perhaps it was a product of their make-up sex or something. (Yes, he knows about that, he’s a teenager, duh!)

“Of course,” Tony finally speaks, realizing he has no right to get mad at Stephen like a jealous boyfriend in the first place. “Of course, Stephen, I’m here. I— I’ll always be your friend. I’m sorry if I went at you like that. I’ve just been so worried, you know. I thought you’ve been swallowed by _Dormanti— Dormama—_ or some other dark entity with a silly name.”

Stephen chuckles at that. "It's _Dormammu_."

“I know there have been no imminent threats though, I’ve been preparing in case you’d need someone to save your sorry ass again,” they both laugh at that, the tension finally wearing off. “So, tell me, where have you been? I didn’t know Wong could be so tough to crack, I couldn’t get a word out of him.”

“Ah, been there, done that,” Stephen waves a hand.

“I went to see Christine too, you know. But somehow, I couldn’t get a hold of her schedule. She seems to have been avoiding me.”

“Actually,” Stephen clears his throat, “I also came here to give you this.” Stephen hands Tony a thick powder blue envelope.

Tony hesitates before taking it. He licks his lips as he opens the flap and pulls out the decorated cardboard inside. He looks at the embossed invitation and tries to hide a sigh in a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He takes a step towards Stephen and tugs him in a strong embrace. “I’ll be there man, you can count on it.” He mutters over Stephen’s shoulder. Peter thinks it might just be the sun’s reflection on the glass door, but he’s pretty sure he saw a glistening tear roll down Tony’s face.

***

Peter goes to the wedding with Aunt May. The ceremony is short but sweet. There aren’t many guests invited, mostly just the Avengers, Wong with a couple other sorcerers, and a few doctors and nurses from Metro-General Hospital. Tony is present with a seven-month pregnant Pepper. They look okay now, not arguing or anything. He sees Tony walk over to the newlyweds when most of the well-wishers are done. Peter stands to loiter at the buffet table nearby.

“Hey, congratulations!” Tony reaches an arm over Stephen’s shoulders in a sort of half-hug. Then turns to Christine and gives her a peck on the cheek.

“Thank you! Where’s Pepper?” she asks, craning her neck to look behind Tony.

“She’s sitting over there with the Parkers. She was in a meeting before we went here, and she’s feeling a bit exhausted.”

“I’ll just go over there, then.” Christine gives Stephen a chaste kiss, then goes in the direction Tony pointed.

“So, you’re a married man now huh?” he turns back to Stephen. “Christine’s really lucky to have you.”

“I think it’s more fitting to say that I’m really lucky to have Christine.”

Tony gives him a meaningful look but says nothing. He sips on the glass of wine in his hand.

“When is she due?” Stephen asks, looking at the table where Christine, Pepper and Aunt May are talking and laughing together animatedly.

“February,” Tony answers. “Speaking of which, I was wondering if you’d like to be the godfather.”

Stephen looks surprised but agrees, “Sure, yeah. But why me?”

“Well you leave me no choice, Harry. I gotta try and make sure you won’t disappear on me again.”

“And you think making me the godfather of your child will keep me from doing that?” he scoffs.

“No, probably not… But you’ll be stuck in our lives until we are old and gray.” Tony flashes an ear-splitting grin.

“Fine,” Stephen concedes, “on one condition…”

“What’s that?”

“When my turn comes, you’ll be the godfather of my child too.”

“Deal.” Tony smiles, and extends a hand.

“Deal.” Stephen smiles too, and shakes it firmly.

Peter thinks that if he probably called out _‘Cut!’_ , neither man would let go, not even after the camera had long stopped rolling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me if this is turning out to be a really sad fic. I suggest you head over to my friend and beta's awesome [new work](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15287433) to dry your tears away. ;-)


	5. Morgan Stark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan has a teenage crush on Spider-Man, the boys are dreaming of Hogwarts and Tony and Stephen are back at their game...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here goes my original characters! I hope you'll grow to love them as they will most likely be in my future fics.

Half the population of thirteen-year-olds admire Morgan Stark and will probably trade places with her in a heartbeat. Being the daughter of a billionaire, and an Avenger at that, means endless opportunities and privileges most children can only dream of. Ah, if they only knew... Morgan may have all the comfort and luxury money can buy, but her life is far from perfect.

The relationship of her parents, for example, is not one to be envied. She grew up to constant fighting and confusing on and off intimacy between the two, which led to her mom packing up her stuff and leaving the mansion for good. It happened when she was six. She heard her mom mumble something about ‘ _going around in circles_ ’ before she walked out the front door. In a way, it turned out to be more convenient. Her mom and dad are better at being friends, and she can now choose to spend time with either of them without the traumatic blaming and shouting at each other.

Being a Stark also has its disadvantages. Even though her dad is a hero and has saved the world more than once, there are those who still hate him, and his family, for some reason. Plus the fact that she is a very tempting target for kidnappers, although she doesn’t worry too much about that last one. Her godfather, the War Machine, would have them wetting their pants before they could even think of it. But perhaps she’ll change her last name to Potts when she’s older; her parents were never married anyway.

“Hey Em!” Morgan whips her head around to smile at the familiar voice. Peter. Maybe she could change her last name to Parker instead. “What are you doing here all by yourself? Where are the boys?” he sits beside her on the couch.

“They went out with Dad to get ice cream,” she replies indifferently. Weekends mean play dates with Tristan, Stephen’s son. And Eames – her dumb brother with a dumb name – follows him around like an adoring puppy. While most people call Morgan ‘little Pepper’ because of how she looks so much like her mom, Eames is definitely a ‘little Tony’, with his brown hair and equally brown Bambi eyes. Their personalities, however, are an entirely different story. Morgan is strong-willed and independent. But Eames is as soft as can be, not an ounce of boldness and confidence that their dad so easily exudes.

“Oh. Are you gonna be alright here? Because I have to fetch MJ in like…” Peter looks at his watch, “five minutes.”

 _Ugh, MJ._ Ever since she was a baby, Peter has always been Morgan’s partner-in-crime, her protector, her confidante. She likes to think that she is Peter’s top priority, seems that is not the case after all.

“Yeah, go, whatever,” she looks towards the garden and makes her pout very obvious.

“Oh come on… You’re not mad at me now are you, Em?” Over the years, Peter’s pet name for her has changed from _‘Mo’_ to _‘Em’_ and she loves it. She thinks it sounds more _grown-up_. He tilts her head up to face him. “I’ll be here tomorrow, I promise. We’ll go to Aunt May’s and we’ll make blueberry cupcakes. What do you say?”

She brightens up at the idea. “Yeah okay, Peter,” she smiles.

“I’ll get going then,” he gives her a kiss on the forehead and ruffles her hair, “See yah!”

He’s gone before she could answer.

***

“I don't know… You’ll probably be sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. And I’ll probably end up in Hufflepuff.” Eames says sheepishly as he toys with the remaining ice cream in his cup.

“No silly! We’ll be sorted in the same house, I’m pretty sure of that. It doesn’t matter which one, but we’re going to be the new _Moony_ and _Padfoot_ of Hogwarts!” Tristan exclaims, puffing his chest out.

The boys like to read, and Harry Potter is their latest obsession. Her dad bought them each a set on their last birthday. They share the same birth date, the 10th of February, and they always celebrate their birthdays together, in the Strange and the Stark household alternately. And despite being born a year apart, they are on the same grade in school. Tristan was accelerated, he seems to have the same photographic memory his dad possesses. A good thing too, because without Tristan, it is highly likely that Morgan’s younger brother will not survive institutionalized education. You see, with Eames meekness, he is a target of bullies and senior students. It happened once, and Tristan arrived and confronted the older boys. Morgan wasn’t quite sure what went on during the confrontation, but it never happened again. It remained a little secret between the three of them though. Morgan was pretty sure they wouldn’t hear the end of it if her dad found out that Eames was being bullied.

“Ems, let’s go, we’re gonna watch the first Harry Potter movie!” Aside from Peter, Tristan is the only one who calls her _‘Em’_ , adding an _–s_ in an attempt to personalize it. He probably saw how she responds to Peter and is trying to imitate him.

“Nah, I’m okay here. I’ve already seen it.” She goes back to the book she’s reading.

“Oh, we could play with my _Nendoroids_ instead, if you want. You can take Spider-Man,” he grins at her.

 _Nice try, Strange._ Sometimes, she wonders if her father has somehow rubbed his genes on this boy. He’s like the Mr. Congeniality of their school, to be honest. He could be so charming; he makes all the other kids want to be around him. But not her, not now at least, “I’m kinda tired Tristan. Just go watch the movie, Eames won’t watch it without you.”

“Tristan, come on!” Eames calls from the floor above.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming!” Tristan shouts back. He lingers for a second then says, “See you Ems,” and he runs up the stairs.

***

Stephen comes the next morning, and Tony opens the door for him -- that simple, mundane act bringing him back to the same scenario almost twelve years ago. For a genius like him, he had been really stupid. He should've known his relationship with Pepper would never work. And he couldn't believe it would have to take Stephen leaving, for him to realize he had been falling for the sorcerer. His return had been bittersweet, after learning that he and Christine were set to get married. But Tony was not one to give up so easily. He somehow found a way to make Stephen a permanent attachment in his life. And now, they are the godfather to each others' son. Still a genius move, isn't it?

“Hey, the boys are still sleeping. I know, I know…” he deflects before Stephen could complain. “I told them _lights out_ before 10pm last night. But it looks like they stayed up to finish that second book until God knows what time.”

“02:37 a.m. Boss,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. chimes in.

Stephen rolls his eyes, but says “That’s fine. Let them sleep in a bit. It’s Sunday anyway. Where’s Morgan?”

“She left earlier with Peter to go to May’s.” Tony heads to the kitchen counter to pour coffee into two mugs. He puts two sugars in one and hands it to Stephen, “Coffee?”

Stephen reaches for the mug, their fingers touching and lingering for a few seconds too long before Tony lets go. In his mind, he reasons that he’s just making sure Stephen has gotten a good grip on it, lest it falls and he goes into a tirade of self-pity again.

“How’s Christine?” Tony asks, redirecting his thoughts.

“She’s fine. She has hospital duty until this evening.”

“Stay then, for lunch. Or do you have plans with your son?” Tony sits on the chair adjacent to Stephen’s, their knees touching. They keep it that way.

“No, not really, but there’s something I want to tell you, about Tristan. I’ve already talked this over with Christine. And since you’re his godfather, I think you have a say in this too. In fact, I think you might be able to help in this matter.”

“Tell me.”

“I think my son may be hiding an inherent mystical faculty.”

“What do you mean?”

“While I had the help of the Ancient One to open my inner eye, I think Tristan had his opened the moment he was born. I’m pretty sure I saw his astral form floating around the house a couple of weeks ago, while I was projecting myself. He floated back to his body when I called out to him and when I asked him about it the next day, he wouldn’t admit to it. And his face was just so blank and innocent; I simply couldn’t bring myself to try and force it out of him. He has that way you know, you probably have seen it, it’s like he can control your mind or something.” Stephen bites at his lower lip in frustration.

 _Hmm, that sounds familiar_. “What do you plan to do about it?”

“I don’t know. I thought of taking him to _Kamar-Taj_ to be trained, but I think he’s too young for that. He’s only eleven for Christ sake! The temple and the sanctums are filled with magical energies and doorways to other dimensions, and I want to keep the multiverse oblivious of his existence for as long as possible. But I cannot have him running around, exploring his capabilities on his own either. I swear, when the right time comes, I will train him myself. But right now, I just can’t bring him to the temple yet. Oh God, it will be the end of me if something happens to him,” he’s almost crying now, one hand on his head, the other shaking violently on the table.

Tony moves to place his hand over it, hesitating. But when Stephen doesn’t pull away, he holds onto it firmly, giving it a squeeze. “Hey, don’t worry, we’ll find a way. And you’re right about me being able to help; I think I may just have the perfect person in mind.”

Stephen looks up at him, “Who?”

“Professor Xavier, _Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters_ , can’t get any better than that. Unless you'll consider Hogwarts, I’m sure Tristan will be thrilled," he tries to lighten the mood, "but I don't think Fury has any information on them. He may be able to contact Xavier though. They can teach him to control whatever power he has now, and at the same time, he’ll be around children like him and instructors who can protect him when he isn’t with us. We can take Tristan there –”

“NO!” the two men snap their heads towards the doorway, where a teary-eyed Eames is standing. He immediately runs back to his room, revealing Tristan right behind him. The expression on his face is hard to read. He stays still for a few moments, and then pivots to follow his best friend back to his room.

Stephen turns to look back at Tony, “Well, looks like we’re staying... I’ll help you with lunch.”

“Sounds like a plan,” and Tony starts to think of ways to pacify his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you once again for all the support. So, what do you think so far? :-)


	6. Eames Stark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a turn...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to the last chapter, I hope this brings you some feels.

In the end, Tristan was still sent to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. After Eames’ little drama in the kitchen three years ago, their fathers sat them down for a serious talk. Tristan finally owned up to secretly studying magic, astral projecting and being able to influence other people’s minds, among other things. Both Tony and Stephen were surprised to find out about the number of things he could do, but made him promise not to try them again on his own, at least not until he was older and capable enough to have proper control over himself and his gifts. The idea of going to a school with other skilled children his age and being taught by Professor X himself, with a promise of his own dad’s mentoring in the future was enough to make Tristan swear to behave. Eames sat speechless on one side, refusing to believe what he was hearing.

At first, Tristan would call every weekend. Then the calls dwindled down to every month. After a year, they only talked on special occasions, holidays and breaks when Tristan would be home. Every now and then, Eames would get scant information on how Tristan was doing from his dad and Stephen, who regularly talked with the professor about his progress, but nothing more. The weekend after his first week at Professor Xavier’s mansion, Tristan couldn’t stop raving about his new school, classmates and instructors, most of whom were members of the X-Men. The excitement in his voice was so overwhelming, that Eames couldn’t bring himself to tell him what happened at ~~their~~ , scratch that, his school that same week. He was really happy for his best friend, but soon after Tristan transferred, the bullies started to harass him again.

“Hey Stark, where’s your boyfriend?” and they all burst out laughing.

That was all they could do though. He was still a Stark and they wouldn’t dare touch him with a ten-foot pole. Actually, the teasing didn’t bother Eames at all. They stopped after a couple of weeks when they couldn’t get any reaction out of him. But he kept to himself and boy was he lonely. Tristan was the only one who ever understood him, the only one who got his jokes, however silly. He was the only one who’d listen with genuine interest while he talked for hours and hours about chemical compounds or old building architecture or Harry Potter. Speaking of which, he was done reading all the books and he sorely missed discussing it with Tristan while feeding their fantasies of being Hogwarts students. Oh well, it certainly looked like Tristan had found his version of Hogwarts and had probably made tons of friends already, while Eames was here, stuck in his sad reality.

***

If it was any consolation, it wasn’t just Eames who was affected with this change. Ever since his son was born, Stephen had made it a point to become as involved as he could in Tristan's life. He didn’t mind taking on the househusband role when it came to raising his son, especially with Christine’s bustling schedule at the hospital. His tasks as Sorcerer Surpreme were easier to work around with anyway. He particularly missed their walks to and from school, when they would talk about anything and everything under the sun. He always knew what was going on in his son’s life. It was why he got so worried when Tristan didn’t tell him about his magical explorations. Turned out, the boy just got scared that Stephen would totally bar him from it, or worse, take his magic away from him, which Stephen swore he’d never do. He was actually very proud of Tristan, and Tony joked about finally having a natural-born wizard in the family. Now that he was at a boarding school, Stephen realized he had forgotten how to go about his day without his son.

He got to spending his free time at the Stark household. The peace he used to feel around Tony was there, it always has been. Besides, having Eames around almost felt like having Tristan there as well. Tony's boy was obviously intelligent, just lacking a bit of self-esteem. He was beginning to show serious interest in chemistry, which Tony supported one hundred percent. For his 14th birthday, he built Eames his own chemistry station down at his workshop, and hanging out at the basement had been the perfect bonding activity for Tony and his son. Peter was mostly out these days. He would usually be with MJ, if he wasn’t busy being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Morgan, on the other hand, was growing up to be a remarkable young lady and preferred to tag along with Pepper, slowly but surely learning the ins and outs of their business. It wouldn’t be a surprise if she’d take over Stark Industries in the near future; she was cut for it.

So, most days, it was just Eames, Tony and him. Or if Eames was buried in a book or in his lab, it would be just Tony and him. Stephen hadn’t failed to notice how Tony would automatically leave his workshop or drop whatever it was he was doing whenever Stephen came around. It was another reason for him to drop by as often as he could. He knew Tony was having those anxiety attacks again, he told Stephen so himself. (Yes, they were back to that level of familiarity.) The least he could do was try and keep Tony from diving deep into depression again, but it was proving to be an extremely difficult task.

Tony was becoming bolder and bolder in initiating physical contact with Stephen, and he’d be a hypocrite if he denied that he liked it, craved it even. At first, he didn’t think it was a big deal, thought of it as typical Tony flirting. But if anything, Tony hardly flirted with anybody these days, except him. Pair that with the longing looks that Tony would throw at him every now and then. It was taking all of his self-control to not give in. More often than not, Stephen would come home to Christine feeling guilty for entertaining those thoughts. He could tell Christine was starting to suspect something although she wouldn’t say anything about it.

***

Stephen wakes up to his phone ringing. He squints at the caller ID and sees Tony’s name. It’s enough to rouse him completely.

“Tony?” Stephen swings his legs over the side of the bed to sit up, he can sense that something’s wrong.

“I-I can’t… it’s coming a-again,” he can hear Tony’s breathing is labored and shallow.

He looks at the bedside clock, 01:15 A.M. He turns to Christine, who had sat up beside him the moment he answered his phone. Her eyes are a mixture of worry, hurt and understanding. No words are needed to be said. She smiles a sad smile and mouths a soft _‘Go’_ before Stephen is scrambling for his sling ring, creating a portal to the Stark mansion. He’s gone before the tears actually fall from her eyes.

Stephen opens the portal right outside Tony’s room to give him enough space and warning. He knocks once and calls, _“Tony?”_ before he tries the knob. Thankfully, it isn’t locked. He gently pushes the door open and sees Tony crumpled in a heap at the foot of his bed. Stephen swiftly goes to his side, careful not to startle him with his presence. Tony is clutching at the glowing blue light on his chest, heaving.

“You were g-gone, y-you were all g-gone,” he mumbles.

“Hey Tony, I’m here... I’m safe, you’re safe, we’re all safe,” he tentatively stretches a shaking hand out. Tony stares at it for what seemed like forever before suddenly grabbing with both his hands. They are cold and clammy. Stephen sits beside him, his back to the bed, and wraps his other arm around Tony, who’s still clutching at his hand like his life depended on it.

“Breathe with me Tony, okay?” he starts a square breathing pattern while rubbing Tony’s arm soothingly. He does it until they are both inhaling and exhaling in sync. They stay like that for much longer even after the anxiety attack is over, Tony leaning on Stephen’s chest, one hand still holding his. The room is deafeningly quiet and Stephen is suddenly aware of the loud beating of his heart.

He can’t remember who makes the first move, but the next thing he knew, Tony’s kisses are slowly moving up from his neck and Stephen is turning his head to face him, one hand cupping Tony’s jaw. It’s obvious that Tony’s panic attack has subsided because his body is beginning to warm up. His lips are warmer still, and they are softer than Stephen had imagined. They kiss each other hungrily, pouring out years of bottled up desire into each other. They move from the floor to the bed without letting go of each other’s mouth, his hands supporting Tony’s torso and Tony clutching at his shirt. As soon as Tony’s back hits the bed, he becomes restless underneath Stephen, his leg pressing and rubbing at Stephen’s groin. He feels Tony’s warms fingers under his t-shirt, lazily tracing the skin on his hip and slowly pushing the waistband of his pajama pants down. It sends an electric shock straight to his brain and his hand suddenly stops Tony from going any further. Tony’s eyes snap open and are met by his. They both stay still, staring at each other until his elbow that is resting beside Tony’s head starts to ache. Stephen gets off of him and rolls onto his back with a resigned sigh.

“I-I’m sorry,” Tony whispers, his eyes on the ceiling.

“This is wrong, I must go,” Stephen moves to get up but Tony grabs his wrist.

“Stay. Please.” His eyes are starting to tear up.

Stephen lies back down and Tony moves closer to rest his head on Stephen’s chest, one arm draped over his body.

_Fuck it, I’m tired of running away from my feelings_ , Stephen reflects as he intertwines his fingers with Tony’s.

***

When Stephen comes back home the following morning, Christine is sitting in the kitchen, still in her pajamas and a mug of coffee in her hands.

“Hey,” he walks over to kiss her temple.

“How is he?” she asks, leaning in to his gesture.

“He’s alright,” Stephen sits on the chair opposite Christine and finds that he cannot look her in the eye. “Don’t you have duty this morning?”

“I called in, Nick will cover for me.”

“Huh, why? Are you sick? Do you need –”

“I’m fine Stephen,” that sad smile again, “but I think there’s something we should talk about.”

He looks at her and instantly sees what she means. “Oh God,” he buries his face in his hands, “How –”

“I guess I've always known since that day you went to see him… after you came back to New York.”

“And you didn’t say anything,” Stephen keeps his head down, cradled in his hands, his elbows resting on the table.

“Well, you weren't really doing anything wrong. And if I'm not mistaken, you were trying your best to get over him, since he was still with Pepper then. I admired you for that. And I had hoped that our marriage would actually work,” she bites on her lower lip and looks at her almost empty mug.

“Oh Christine, I’m so sorry. I don’t deserve you,” Stephen looks up, his face wet with tears.

“I don’t regret anything. You will always have my heart and Tristan will always be my treasure. But I think this is where we should end it. You deserve to be really happy.”

“And you?” Stephen doesn’t quite know how he should feel about this, he’s both disappointed in himself and hopeful about his future.

“I’ll be fine; those years we spent together were more than I could ask for.”

Stephen stands up and walks over to Christine. He squats down in front of her and takes her hands in his. “You know that I love you, right? That was never a lie. I wouldn’t exchange those years for anything either. I want you to know that I meant it when I said I would commit myself to you, and I did. But you’re right about us ending this now, not so I could be with Tony, but because you deserve someone better, someone who will love you more than I ever could.”

“We both know that’s never gonna happen, Stephen. I’m quite attached to my Strange policy,” she smiles through her tears.

He can’t help but smile a little at that too, “This is crazy… what about Tristan?”

“We’ll tell him together, and we’ll still both take care of him. I’m sure he’ll understand,” she takes a hand from Stephen’s grasp and reaches out to wipe another falling tear on his cheek with her thumb.

“I never thought I’d ever say this in one go… to one person… but thank you Christine, for everything. I’m really, really sorry for causing you so much pain. And I will always love you. You will always be the mother of my son and you will always have a special place in my heart.” And with those words, they share their final kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, your kudos and comments fuel my will to write more. Thank you!


	7. Tristan Strange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you begin the end, I suggest you start from the beginning (if that makes sense at all). :P

“Dad?” Tristan looks up from the book he’s reading.

“Hmm?” Stephen hums in response.

The two of them are in the New York Sanctum library. Tristan is reading a book, _The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep_ , while his father is meticulously organizing and placing centuries-old manuscripts back in their proper places.

“Walk with me to the Stark’s?”

Stephen pauses and regards his son thoughtfully. “Alright, just… give me a minute,” he gathers the remaining stack of documents and takes it to the storage at the back of the room.

Stephen and Christine waited until Tristan came home for his birthday before they told him about their decision to separate. Tristan had a feeling that something was up when he left school that day; Professor Xavier had been insistent about him taking the whole month off. He definitely enjoyed the longer vacation, but in all honesty, it wasn’t that hard to accept the situation. His parents’ resolve was mutual and their relationship up to this day was very amicable. They didn’t tell him exactly why, but they really didn’t have to. As he was growing up, Tristan found that an observant eye was as powerful as a smart mouth or a sharp mind.

His father moved back to the New York Sanctum after the divorce. At first, Stephen was still adamant about keeping Tristan away from his _‘workplace’_. It took a turn for the better when Tristan turned sixteen though, and he had been ecstatic to say the least. Which explains why he is here now, he intends to spend as much of his summer vacation as he can in the Sanctum with his dad.

“Let’s go, son,” Stephen calls from the doorway.

Tristan gingerly closes the book and sets it on one side of the table, before standing up and following his father out. Stephen rests an arm around his son’s shoulders as they stroll. The distance to the Stark mansion is quite long but they don’t mind. They both miss this father-and-son walk-and-talk bonding habit.

“You’re becoming so tall, when does it stop?” Stephen notes. Tristan stands almost to his father’s neck now. His dark brown hair, which is almost black, flops stubbornly over his eyes, no matter how he tries to slick it back. His cheekbones and cupid-bow lips are definitely akin to his father’s.

“Not any taller than you, Dad,” he blushes a bit.

“Is that an earring you’re wearing?” Stephen raises an eyebrow as he regards the tiny blue gem on Tristan’s left ear.

“Uhm… Yes and no? Look,” he easily swipes the jewelry with his fingers, showing his now earring-free lobe to Stephen. “My ear isn’t pierced at all,” he grins.

“Huh, okay… What is it then?”

“Just uh, a fashion statement,” he half lies.

***

It brought him back to his 15th birthday, barely a week after he found out about his parents’ separation. He and Eames celebrated the occasion together at the Stark mansion with family and some close friends. Eames had been complaining about their apparent lack of communication, but was immediately appeased when their parents gave them their present for that year – a sleek Stark phone each.

As the party was winding down later that night, the two of them went to sit in the garden, quietly observing the people inside through the wide sliding glass doors.

“Just look at them dance around each other,” Eames suddenly spoke beside him, one hand combed through his wavy brown hair.

Tristan knew exactly who he was talking about. They were both aware that their fathers had a ‘thing’ for each other, ever since they were old enough to notice the ‘matters of the heart’. However, since he came back from school that year, the interaction between his dad and Tony had been subdued, almost awkward. He assumed the divorce had something to do with it – or the other way around.

“Dad has always been respectful to women. Mom’s around and their divorce is still in process. I suppose he thinks this is the best way to handle the situation,” he tried to reason.

“What if we get them to play _Seven Minutes in Heaven_ so we can shove them both inside a closet?”

“Oh, aren’t they in there already? I thought we’ve been waiting for them to _come out_?” they roared with laughter. It took a few minutes before their guffawing died down.

“Dad looks pained,” Eames winced. “I can’t blame him though, he’s waited long enough.”

“They both have,” he concluded.

To make it up to Eames, Tristan spent almost the entire month with the Starks. His parents more than agreed to the arrangement as they were ironing out the last of the legalities to their separation and Stephen was resettling back at the Sanctum. Some days, he and Eames would go out to catch a movie, ride their bikes or skate in the park. Sometimes they’d hang out in the workshop with Tony, or when Morgan was around, they’d all gather in the kitchen to cook pasta and bake pies. Morgan was all grown-up now, her hair darker than when she was younger. Tristan’s always had a little crush on the older Stark but he thought she was out of his league, so he left it at that. February couldn’t stretch long enough though and soon, it was time for him to go back to Xavier’s.

“Hey, I figured I haven’t given you your birthday gift yet,” he told Eames as he was packing.

“It’s not really a requirement,” Eames was sitting on one side of the bed, his back to the headboard, his eyes focused on the home-building game he was playing on his phone.

“I got you something though,” Tristan sat beside him as Eames paused his game to see what he's got.

Tristan passed a hand over his own eyes and made a fist. Soon, a bluish smoke was rising up from it. He made a gesture of pouring it into his other hand as the smoke turned into a gaseous liquid appearance. It settled on his open palm in the form of two tiny jewels, not bigger than a grain of barley. He took one and pressed it onto his left earlobe, where it firmly clung. He handed the other one to Eames, who carefully took the stone between his thumb and forefinger to examine. He looked closely and saw miniscule flecks of gold swimming in the deep blue jewel, not unlike Tristan’s eyes.

“Wow, you’re really getting better at magic… Wait, did you just give me a piece of your iris?” Eames asked, his already big brown eyes widening even more at the thought.

“Maybe?” Tristan laughed, earning him a light punch on the shoulder.

“I’m guessing it’s not just that though,” Eames stopped surveying the stone and pressed it onto his own earlobe.

“Of course not, it’s going to be a very interesting way for us to ‘communicate’.”

“Aren’t you too late for that? Dad just gave us phones!” Eames reached for his phone and continued with his game. “Ugh, I still can’t believe he waited until I’m sixteen to let me have one. Me! The son of the futurist himself!” Eames exclaimed with an eyeroll.

“Oh, trust me, it’s gonna be much better than Facetiming and videocalling,” he leaned back on his arms and gave Eames a wink.

***

“Tristan?” Stephen calls him back from his musing. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you but… I’m not sure how... I’m really hoping that you’ll understand and... that our relationship will remain –”

“Dad,” he chuckles at his father’s blabbering. They stop at a corner; they are almost at the mansion now. “It’s okay. I know. And it’s totally fine. I love mom. And I love Tony too, like a father. More importantly, I love you and I really want you to be happy. I’m surprised you waited this long. Are you afraid about what other people would say?”

“No. Somehow, the only opinion that matters to me is yours.”

“Then I’d say, just _‘go for it’,_ ” they continue to walk down the street. “Enough holding back, Dad. You’re not getting any younger, you know,” he kids, making Stephen laugh. They reach the front door.

“You’re right… Thank you, son,” Stephen faces him and ruffles his hair. “I must have done something good to have raised such a level-headed young man.”

“Aawww Dad…” he tries to fix his hair back in place. The door opens in front of them, revealing Morgan on the other side.

“Oh, hi guys!” she flashes a smile.

“Hi dear, is your dad around?”

“Yup, he’s in the living room.” Morgan steps aside, letting Stephen inside.

Tristan appears to be stuck on the doorstep though.

“Uh, hey Ems,” he’s taller than both the Stark kids now, but Morgan still intimidates him in some way. “You’re heading out?”

“Yeah, I gotta get some groceries for dinner. You guys are staying, I hope?”

“Yes, we will if you’re cooking,” he grins his dorky grin. “You need help? I can come with you –”

“Nah! Go on inside, Eames is down in his lab. He’s been waiting for you to drop by.”

“Oh, okay… We should… hang out sometime, you know… like in the old days,” he shifts his weight from one foot to another.

Morgan lets out an amused chuckle, “I’ll see you around Strange.”

Tristan goes inside and finds his father still standing under the living room archway. Tony has just gotten off the phone, and he looks up to regard Stephen.

“Tony… can I have a minute?”

“How about ten, doc? An hour? A day?” Tony throws his phone on the couch and buries his hands in his pockets.

Stephen walks cautiously towards him, as the opening riff of _Overjoyed_ starts to play in the background.

“What the fuck? Who put the music on?” Tony looks vaguely to the ceiling, “F.R.I.D.A.Y., did I tell you to play some music?”

“It wasn’t me, Boss,” the A.I. replies.

_Over time, I’ve been building my castle of love_  
_Just for two, though you never knew you were my reason ~_

“Really, Stephen? Stevie Wonder?” Tony turns to him instead.

Stephen rolls his eyes and lets out the breath he realizes he’s been holding in. “Tristan, I believe you’ve been told that Eames is waiting for you in his lab,” he says loud enough to no one in particular.

A sniggering Tristan rounds the corner. “Hi Tony, Dad,” he waves as he heads in the direction of the workshop.

“There goes my wingman,” Stephen mumbles, his eyes on his son.

“Huh, since when?”

“Hmm… ten minutes ago?” He looks at Tony, gauging his reaction.

_~ The sandman has come from too far away_  
_For you to say come back some other day ~_

“Wow. Okay. So, we’re not stopping the music?” Tony stares back at him.

“Why should we? I’ve been dying to dance with you since that fated Christmas Eve.”

“Fuck,” Tony closes the distance between.

Stephen wastes no time and pulls him in a passionate kiss, strong coffee mixing with the taste of his peppermint toothpaste. He places one hand at the small of Tony’s back, cupping his jaw with the other, his stubble rough on Stephen’s skin. Tony wraps his arms around Stephen’s neck and tugs him closer, deepening the kiss even more. He pulls away long enough to catch his breath and say, “Damn, I thought this day would never come.”

“Not my fault it took you over fifteen years to make a move,” Stephen mutters breathlessly.

He keeps on pressing towards Tony, sending him to amble backwards until he hits the back of the couch. Stephen slips a hand under Tony’s shirt and languidly traces his spine with shaking fingers, making the smaller man’s breath hitch.

“Says the man who went ahead and got married,” Tony sucks at his lower lip. “Can we maybe use that stone of yours to turn back Time?” The hand on Stephen’s nape drops down to his abdomen, before hooking on the buckle of his belt.

“No need. I already feel twenty years younger just being here with you,” his baritone sounds even deeper.

They pause to gaze at each other, Tony’s eyes looking like thick honey filled with adoration and want. Stephen’s heart is pounding loudly inside his chest. He has one leg pressed between Tony’s thighs and he can feel the mechanic’s growing arousal. His own pants tighten painfully at just the thought of it.

_~ And though the odds say improbable, what do they know_  
_For in romance, all true love needs is a chance ~_

“Prove it,” Tony says daringly.

Stephen doesn’t need telling twice. His sling ring is on in an instant, one hand gesturing in circles behind Tony. He leans in to kiss Tony once more. He closes his eyes, allowing brief flashes of all the events that led to this moment to run through his mind, before pushing Tony to fall backwards, landing them on Tony’s bed on the other side of the sparkling hole. The portal fizzles to a close as the final words of the song echoes in the room.

_~ Overjoyed, over love, over you_  
_You – over you._

***

Eames and Tristan reach the top of the landing just as the last of the sparks are disappearing in the living room. They whoop and are in the middle of a fist bump when --

"Alright boys, show's over," Morgan suddenly speaks from the living room archway.

"Morgan, what the f --"

"Language, Eames." Morgan cuts in.

"What, I'm seventeen!"

"Not an excuse."

"But yeah, what the -- I mean, what are you doing here?" Tristan asks. "I thought you were going to the supermarket?"

"I left Dad's card," she flips Tony's gold card between her fingers.

"So, were you like... standing there the whole time?" Eames says incredulously. "We at least let the song finish, before deciding to check."

"Yup. Three minutes and forty-five seconds to be exact." Tristan confirms.

Morgan laughs, "No, of course not. I got here just in time to hear that our dads are gonna be up to no good."

"Ugh," Eames rolls his eyes.

Tristan just smirks. "How long have you known?"

"Since forever?" Morgan waves a hand. "I may not be here often, but I'm not stupid. Besides, they were so obvious. Even mom knows! She has actually been preparing me for this, you know."

They hear a solid thud on the carpeted floor upstairs, making them all look up. It is followed by a loud grunt that sounds more gratified than pained.

Eames mouth drops and Tristan's face turns red.

"Come on boys, I think it's best if you two just come with me to get the groceries. They might... take a while."

"Enough time for some milkshakes?" Eames eyes widen.

"Sure, my treat," Morgan looks at the card, "or rather, Dad's treat."

"Now you're talking. Let's go!" Tristan grins and heads out the front door, Eames and Morgan following close behind.

They've been through a lot, and yet it feels as if it is just the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge, huge thank you to everyone who followed this fic! I would like to think that for a first, it isn't so bad (is it?) I intend to expand this so, if you have any suggestions, or if you'd like to see a particular scene played out, please let me know and I'll see what I can do.
> 
> Again, this will not be possible without the help of my friend and beta-reader, Zee!
> 
> Make sure you read the lengthy note/invitation/prompt at the very end. I'm really hoping that you guys will be up for it. :-)

**Author's Note:**

> I did mention something in the comments about an idea that’s been in my head. And now that the stage is set, I would like to invite you all to play with me, or rather, my original characters. This may serve as a prompt for my fellow writers to create their own OC/s, if they don’t have one already, and write fics incorporating them in my verse (or vice versa, we don’t mind being passersby in your stories too :P).
> 
> You may have noticed that I didn’t expound much on the other Avenger characters, and that is to give you free reign on making them parents or relatives of your OC/s, however you see fit. You could choose to introduce them in a multi-chapter fic like this one, focusing on their particular family or just drop them in a scene or something. (Btw, although I do not exclude the possibility of Tony or Stephen having another kid elsewhere, I would prefer to keep the complication at a minimum, so these two are out of the question for now.)
> 
> That is not the limit however, since Tristan goes to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and he must have plenty of friends and classmates there, who are just blank faces in my mind right now, so those could be filled. We could also use a possible suitor/partner(s) for Morgan, even though I had planned giving her and Tristan a moment or two. Eames could use some new friends in school as well! (Just please note that my endgame here will be Eames/Tristan, taking after Tony and Stephen of course, hehehe.)
> 
> This story alone stretches for about 20 years and there are a lot of happenings in between that were not told in detail. (This gives you a lengthy timeline as well and your story could happen anytime during or even after it.) I intend to fill those with the other fics that I will be writing under this series. I already have a vague idea about that Seven Minutes in Heaven alternate scene, for Tony and Stephen. (And maybe one for the younger boys too, but I will need more participants. Maybe your OC/s could join us? ;-))
> 
> So that’s basically it. You can ask me any particulars about my OCs if it’s needed in your work. All I request is that you give us a mention (hopefully, with a link) in your notes. We could put them all together in a collection, though I may not have the time for that. But if anyone’s willing to host, then we better start thinking of a collection title now, lol! I’m excited to read all your works so, spread the word and come join me in this madness! :D


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